Eat, sleep, breathe, drink, Arsenal

This is one of the good mornings. It follows one of the memorable days. Chelsea have had quite the hold over us in recent seasons, but that hold was not so much broken as smashed aside by a breathtaking Gunners performance. Arsene Wenger summed it up perfectly in the aftermath.

“We played with style, with pace, with movement, and that’s the kind of football we want to play. It’s one of the best performances in recent years.”

He was spot on. This was Arsenal playing the way they can against an opponent they have paid far too much respect to of late. Chelsea were undone in the opening fourteen minutes. The first goal arrived when Alexis forced the hapless Cahill into a back pass that sold his goalkeeper short. The Chilean latched onto it and chipped a delicious finish inside the far post.

Arsenal 1-0 Chelsea

Barely had the crowd settled and it was two. A mesmeric interchange of passes saw Mesut Ozil and Alex Iwobi set up Hector Bellerin for the cut-back that Theo Walcott swept home. Theo was enjoying one of his good days. This was a reminder of his performance last season when Manchester United were put to the sword by the same scoreline as yesterday.

Arsenal 2-0 Chelsea

If there was a cloud on Arsenal’s horizon it was the early loss of Francis Coquelin who seemed to suffer a nasty looking knee injury in a fifty fifty challenge on the edge of our box. Granit Xhaka came on, and we kept the pressure on the shell-shocked visitors.

Ozil and Alexis were enjoying themselves and before the break conjured up a third. Ozil broke at the weak heart of Chelsea’s defence, sent Alexis clear on the right side of the box, and when the cross arrived back at his feet he smashed a volley into the ground and over Courtois. Three-nil. It could, indeed should, have been more.

Arsenal 3-0 Chelsea

The proverbial handbrake was applied in the second-half, but there were still moments for the faithful to enjoy. Particularly the discomfort of the odious Costa who spent the evening in Laurent Koscielny’s pocket. When finally he snapped the crowds glee at the award of the yellow card matched the celebrations for the goals before the break.

The anonymous Fabregas was substituted to howls of laughter. Arsenal sent on Kieran Gibbs and Olivier Giroud for Iwobi and Alexis. Both departed to the standing ovation that Wenger had intended. Theo and Giroud came close to adding to Chelsea’s misery, and the visitors pain was complete when substitute Batshuayi was thwarted by Petr Cech from their only clear-cut opportunity.

It was that sort of day, and the post match celebrations were understandably noisy and cheerful. Can we maintain this sort of form in the coming weeks? With Manchester City retaining their one hundred percent record against Swansea we need to. For today though let us bask in our best performance against Chelsea in many a moon. Indeed this was a match to remember.

The whole team played well but I’m particularly happy for Theo and Bellerin they were outstanding. That Pedro chase was an icing on the cake. Theo chased every ball and was getting stuck which is exactly what he was doing before that knee injury.

It was a day when it was a joy to be there, on a warm, shirtsleeved North London evening. Others in last night’s drinks picked out individual performances – others were of my view that every man jack of them had a great game. Around me was awe at the performance of Theo, people who, like me, binned him off after viewing the capitulation at Old Trafford. Can this be the new Theo, the consistent Theo, the fit Theo? I sure hope so. Cynic must be quietly revelling in his support being proved right.

Mesut, Alexis and Santi were glorying in each other’s company and play yesterday, visibly enjoying playing this team, adored by the fans. Let’s not forget that Mesut and Alexis have been at Barca and Real Madrid, so they’ve scratched that itch and seem to be very happy where they are now. I really hope they can sign new contracts soon. Oh and every week I so glad that Kos is in the team. He is in the form of his life and becoming the heartbeat of the club.

The crowd yesterday was united, happy and loud (and so they should be you will say). Those of you who were around ten years ago will remember a chant about Patrice Evra that was short, to the point and highly Anglo Saxon. Well that chant has been revived with the name of Costa featuring rather than the United left back of yore.

This game was so like the United game of about 12 months ago. A sudden hit of injuries and lack of replacements of the same quality derailed us then from a title charge. This year, and the evidence of the Forest game, is that the 2nd XI are much stronger.

As we walked out there was singing on Hornsey Road and the Tolly was already rocking. As the Landlord says, this was one of the memorable days.

not sure why the negativity for Cesc. He was shafted by typical Barca nonsense and surely would’ve come back to us if there was room in the team for him, but Ozil meant there wasn’t. I just have big fondness for how unbelievably good he was for us for 8 years and a bit of sadness that he didn’t really live up to his full potential

Fabregas was never shafted by Barca. He and his father agitated for a move at least 12 months before he did depart. At a time, which was disastrous for Wenger and the club. Then when he was discarded by Barca, thought he could waltz back in again, like nothing had happened.

Exactly. If Fabregas had an ounce of decency he would NEVER have signed for Jose Mourinho, no matter what happened prior to that at Barca and no matter what the approach, if any, from Arsenal. If I was a footballer I would rather retire early than play for Abramovich’s Chelsea.

Things are finally falling in place for us. This team is full of potential…and they will get even better. Kos and Mustafi are already good but they will be excellent. Sanchez is starting to love it as a CF. Iwobi, Ozil and Theo are in top form. Barring another score of successive injuries, this may be our season. COYG!

I’m keen not to urinate on our chips but at around this time last season we saw a very similar game against Manchester United which Holic refers to in his excellent account. We were 3 up at half- time and the first half was notable for the work rate and tackling of Theo who played through the middle.
Yesterday was a remarkably similar game and we exposed , as we did last year, the funereal pace of the opponents’ build-up. Chelsea were unable to respond yesterday as they had little pace upfront and their passing was ponderous.
We didn’t exactly collapse like a blancmange last year but the team didn’t kick on as we hoped. While Citeh have had possibly the six easiest games they could , with the exception of the United game , we must maintain this level of intensity and avoid serious injuries. Le Coq is almost certainly out for some time but at least we have Xhaka and Elneny where we had Flamini and Arteta last season in reserve.

Holic captures the mood very well as he so often does . Revenge is sweet particularly against the classless mob of Neanderthals from the Bus Stop. We have a very strong looking squad and players of the calibre of Welbeck, BFG and Ramsey who have played no part yet. This season we are having the rub of the green . Penalties are being awarded and Ozil’s volley bounced in off the post rather than out. We escaped in Paris with a draw where we could have been gubbed. But I won’t begrudge us that . It was a fine team performance and showed our potential . We have a few winnable games ahead before we go into our bogey month where the fixtures are much tougher . The season moved into a higher gear for us yesterday. It was a gear that Chelsea had no answer to.

Good points, TTG, tough you may not have avoided completely the chip-urination scenario.

I should also point out that, all else being equal, had Özil’s volley not gone in, we would still have won 2-0. Even further away from a proper shoeing(*), but given the general quality of the play, still something of a shoeing(*). Of course, all else would probably not have been equal, but it’s a reasonable basis for speculation.

For a pessimistic view, we must assume that Wellbeck, BFG, Ramsey and probably Coquelin will play no further part in the season but, as you say, the rest of the squad looks stronger than last year’s. It’s far too early in the season to get excited, but I for one am not letting it stop me.

COYG

(*) Pangloss thanks CBA Enterprises for the term “shoeing”, and will remit the usual usage fee to the usual account.

What a game yesterday. Enjoyed it immensely.
At this point, I do not see that many games that the BFG will play on this team when he gets healthy. Why was he made captain again?
I would like to see OG getting more game time, for when he is not in the game we lose his height and the ability to launch crosses into the box and whatever else that provides to our game.
What on earth has happened to West Ham? Too bad we don’t play them until December.

I think Sanchez at 9 is something we need to get used to seeing and it could well be the story of the season if he continues in this vein. Now we are fluid, pacy and dynamic up front.

Ttg, I think this performance is much different to last seasons game against Manu for a number of reasons. I was equally impressed with the performance against Forest where we fielded a different 11 and still played dynamic wenger-ball. As you mentioned, we have obviously added depth and quality in key areas but we had very little luck last season too. We’ve a strong panel now and when Rambo and Welbz come back – its going to look even better.

BB
That tackle by Bellerin was brilliant. There was a collective groan when Pedro bore down on goal but my neighbour confidently said ‘ It’s ok it’s Bellerin’ and how right he was!
That boy has a turbo- charger because Pedro is no slouch. It also lifted the whole team and must have depressed the Chavs no end. Which is never a bad thing!
Pleased to hear the Corporal is back in training . Mainland- Niles played very well on Tuesday and is one for the near- future. Goodness knows what Debuchy is!

Must agree that it could happen again and probably has while I have been watching the Champions League. Namely when the ref red carded RVP for kicking the ball away in the Nou Camp when it was impossible to hear a whistle.

A few pre match scoops in The Tollie and the atmosphere was very positive. My positivity is always tempere by never knowing what Arsenal side is going to turn up. Yesterday was one of those days where clearly there was no need to worry.

The first goal was a great finish. The second was Arsenal of old. The third had an element of fortune but it was fortune that had been well earned. The Ozil turn to start the move was just awesome. What followed was just great to watch. Ozil deserved his goal.

Whilst I understand the second half I can’t help but feel just slightly disappointed. So convincingly 3 up at half time, was I being greedy to want a 4th and a 5th?

I was disappointed to see DNA boy taken off. I thought he was one of our best players. What is nice is that the vast majority now seem to see him for what he actually is.

The Bellerin could only have been improved if the Chav had been Costa. The other thing to note from that clip is who the player back with him is? It’s Granit. The unfortunate injury to Le Coq must mean that he gets a regular starting spot? In the few performances I have seen he seems to offer us so much more in that position. His vision and range of passing have been very impressive. Hopefully he will add the shape and balance that we have often lacked in the midfield.

A very impressive team performance. How nice it was to see us break with real pace again. The new Theo was outstanding. Iwobi gets better in each game. Ozil just dictated the whole game. However, for all of our attacking prowess my MOTM was Kosser. Again, he was outstanding.

Back in The Tollie and the mood was understandably buoyant. More ale was supped before making the journey home.

Nice report H. We now need to strive for some consistency. If we can achieve that then we will be on the right path.

A few months after he sent off RVP for not hearing his whistle, Massimo Busacca retired from active duty to become head of FIFA refereeing. It seemed suspiciously like a payoff even back in 2011, and it seems even more so after the intertwined corruption of Michel Platini and Sepp Blatter was at least partially acknowledged by UEFA and FIFA. Knowing Platini’s antipathy towards Wenger, is it just coincidental that Arsenal draws in the Champions League (warmed up ping pong balls, according to Blatter) and refereeing decisions in European games have been kinder to Arsenal ever since Platini was banned from UEFA?

Yes, it went well with Alexis up front, but it was only against a miserably creaking chavs’ defence. I’d still prefer OG at CF allowing Alexis to play where he plays best at LW with Ollie adding appreciably to both attacking and defensive set pieces.

Interesting to note a number of gooners generously applauding Cesc when he was subbed. Good to see some can remember the 8 good years without twisting their knickers. As for signing for the bus stoppers, it must be hard to resist that kind of money when you know you could be unemployable by age 35.

I’m still not sure that Alexis is our best option either but I suspect that Joe is right and we need to get used to it because there’s something not quite right with Giroud’s situation. Talk of late back from the Euro’s and subsequent injuries notwithstanding, he seems to be a very unhappy camper, both on and off the field. If he doesn’t get more game time before the end of the year then I wouldn’t be surprised to hear more talk of a Winter transfer heating up.

Whilst a deeper squad this year affords us more comfort, it also means that some are unlikely to get the amount of game time they either want or deserve. I think people like Elneny may be very unfortunate in this regard because I’ve been very impressed with him when he has played. There are others in the same boat.

Noosa
if we play the same system and keep winning,barring injuries, Giroud/Ox and a few others will be looking at local Cup games for a starting gig.
As far as EPL and CL,they will be cameo subs at best.
With the pace we have in the final 3rd,and the interplay across the width of the pitch, of Iwobi/Alexis and Wally,it is giving defences nightmares.
They cannot play a high line,because they will be cut to pieces.
So they have to sit deeper,giving our midfield more room to work in.
Alexis is to me,playing a false 9,with the flexibility to roam across the pitch in the final 3rd.
Witness the 2nd goal yesterday,with Wally converting from near the penalty spot,when Alexis had drifted across to the left side of the attack.
Iwobi and Wally also popped up in different positions across the pitch,which totally confused the Chelsea defence.
This is the template for the future,and almost a mirror image of how Pep has set up Man City.

Nothing to disagree with there. The issue is still how to keep a deep squad happy when some are not getting a game.

The silly money on offer at other clubs often means that players sit on the bench because nobody else can afford the wages, even on loan. I’m not sure that’s the case with us. I’m all for staying with a settled starting eleven and don’t have a good answer myself otherwise – I’m hoping that Arsene does.

A few more wins by Arsenal and a few more cameo appearances by Giroud should not add up to an unhappy player. He has toiled tirelessly for the cause for several years now without winning a major trophy and this is a big chance for him. Witness the attitude for Leicester players like Ulloa and King last year who previously were starters but played important parts in the championship chemistry anyway. Not assuming anything about Giroud’s attitude at this point is the best approach. I also wouldn’t be surprised to see him back in the starting team in a few weeks’ time in any case making this a moot discussion entirely.

I hope that AW uses members of the team that played Forest in the cup game against the weaker teams to rotate the players and give the first team members enough rest. This will mean players will approach every game with the sort of hunger, effort and desire we saw against Chelsea. There will be a few hiccups along the way but we will end up with a considerably strong squad which will help us be consistent and avoid the periods of bad form we have almost every season.

A bit late to the party but as you know, the saloon doors were shut when I tried to get in yesterday.

Commiserations on the pound but I’m sure you won’t mind that one going south 😏

A brilliant evening at The Emirates. I’m inclined to go with Countryman and just praise the entire team for a truly excellent performance. However, to be fair to Theo Walcott, he has to be given massive credit for the turn round in his attitude. The player who was hiding and falling over last season, has come back working his socks off, fighting, tackling, threatening, defending and scoring this.

If he can maintain this level of consistency, he will be a real asset in a different style of forward line based on pace and mobility. This is the Theo we have been waiting to see for a decade, hoping he would one day emerge from, frankly, mediocrity. Good luck to him.

We know about the international class of the rest of the team but Alex Iwobi can also be a really special player. His progress from the reserves of last season has been amazing. The backheel assist last week, the exchange of passes with Ozil, change of direction and perfectly weighted ball to Bellerin for Theo’s goal on Saturday, were examples of class way beyond his level of experience. Seems a very genuine young guy too.

The squad is definitely stronger this season and, as AW has already said, older than it has been for a while. The presence of Iwobi and Bellerin, Mustafi and Xhaka, Ozil and Sanchez, Kos and Santi, is however spreading the range of ages nicely through the team.

Our previously static forward play suddenly looks quick, mobile, creative and dangerous as we have players runniing ahead of the ball for the first time in ages.

Arsene Wenger seems to have found another new blend in his twentieth season. The stubborn old goat is never going to go !

Not so sure whether Alexis is deliberately being played as a false 9 but one things for certain – he is certainly leading the line and this is most definitely the strategy so far this season. Giroud may have needed a rest, but I think Wenger wanted to give Alexis an extended run of games to see how he’d get on in the centre especially when we failed to buy a proven striker this summer. But what a joy it is to see fluidity, pace and one-touch football return to our play up front.

Trev,

Well said about Theo. I genuinely couldn’t agree more. While I try to accentuate the positive from his performance since the start of the season, is it unreasonable to ask why we have had to wait 10 years for the sudden change in attitude and what does that say about our management of him to date??? Maybe this could also be part of the reasoning as to why we are now purchasing players who have “earned” the right to play at this club and who have come from less pampered backgrounds.

Whatever about Theo, (and I believe we have broadly agreed on Theo in recent years), may I echo your thought on Alex Iwobi. What a player this lad is already and he’s only going to get better. If he played for England, or if he played at any other club, the media would be raving about him. However, because its Wenger and Arsenal, players like Iwobi are almost expected to emerge and consequently are less of a surprise when they do. Its a pity though, because he really is a precocious talent.

Evening Joe
re Iwobi,
I very much doubt he would have seen the light of day at any of the other top Clubs of the past few seasons.
Chelsea under Maureen ? No chance,would probably be out on loan somewhere.
City ? they would rather spend 50 mil on an at best average player like Sterling.
Utd ? does anyone really think Rashford would be where he is if Maureen had arrived last year.
Credit for his promotion goes to Van Gaal.
Liverpool ? how often have they promoted a youngster from the youth system recently.
Would any of the other top 6 club managers have given a key defensive position to a wet behind the ears Hector.
Forget the goals, how thrilling and delightful it must have been for Arsene to see Iwobi play without fear in a massive game like Saturday,and to watch young Hector at 3 nil up,late in the game,exhausted,still find the desire to run 50 yards and make that stirring tackle to deny Chelsea a goal scoring opportunity.
For those reasons alone,Arsene can stay for the next 20 yrs if he wants to. !!

I dearly hope the love for Theo continues. He is a very nice young man, a good role model and I was ecstatic when we signed him. Overall as Trev suggests he has underperformed on the whole but there have been pockets in each season where he has hinted at a false dawn only to subsequently disappoint.
He was desperately unlucky to be stricken with a terrible injury three seasons ago just as he looked ready to take off. During that game he played through the centre and tore Spurs apart. Last season he played full of brio and energy against United making some crunching tackles. In the return game he was pathetic.
I desperately hope he has turned a corner but he needs to perform like that for a year. He never stays fit for a year and it is clear that when , as now, he is fully fit he can be quite the player but he also vacillates in form quite alarmingly. Let him prove himself over the season and I will be delighted, but I’ve seen him for so long I am reserving my judgement As for Iwobi I think he is the real deal and I agree with the sentiments in the bar. Joe is right, if he played at United or was English he would be lauded to the skies. I think he has a great career ahead of him.

Theo was indeed unlucky to cop that serious injury three years ago, TTG. Prior to that, between 2010 and 2013 he scored 39 goals and provided 31 assists for us.

Being involved in 70 goals in 129 appearances (33 as a sub) while also suffering over 100 days lost to injury during the period, may be ‘disappointing’ to some here, compares more than favourably with the 20 goals and 36 assists in 109 appearances (3 as a sub) Mesut Özil has been lauded as a genius for since his arrival.

Oh, and while we’re being a bit contentious, no I did not applaud Fabregas off the pitch. Neither did I find my knickers in a twist as a result.

Fabregas was a brilliant player for us – that is why he was offered, and accepted, an eight year contract which he decided to walk out on after three years.

At the time, I said I could quite understand a 23 year old, who had lived abroad from the age of 16, wanting to return home to his friends, family and native tongue.

What I find unforgivable, is that after all Arsene Wenger and Arsenal had done for him, he refused to play for us in a Champions League qualifier so as not to jeopardise his move to Barcelona – and by coming out and publicly saying he would not go anywhere else, he ruined any chance we had of getting a fee for him which would have been anywhere near his going rate at the time.

Only Arsene’s dignity and class prevented him blowing the lid off the transfers of Fabregas and Nasri that fateful summer. I understand Fabregas came to an agreement with Wenger in the previous close season that if he wanted to return to Barca he could. When the move was held up, mainly at Barca’s end he threw his toys out of the pram and stabbed someone who had treated him like a son in the back.
Nasri was equally obnoxious plotting his move to Citeh
So disruptive was their behaviour that we ended up with a skeleton squad and needing a trolley dash after the shaming 8-2 defeat at Old Toilet. It was then I think that RVP decided to leave.
When Fabregas wanted to return I think he expected Wenger to welcome him back with open arms. Wenger had moved on. He had Ozil, a younger, more complete player. It looked a duff decision in the first half of Cesc’s first season at Chelsea but he tailed off badly and has never approached that form since. Looking at Ozil and Fabregas on Saturday there is a huge gulf in quality between the players now. Ozil is world class, one of the top ten players in the world. Fabregas is a fairly average top half of the PL midfielder, at least a tier below him.
Nasri is playing for Seville this season. Pep showed him the door fairly speedily. I suspect he and Arsene’s may have had words on his attitude.
As for RVP he is still in Turkey. How are the mighty fallen!

In the recent John Cross biography on Wenger, Cross maintains that in a direct interview with Wenger, Wenger said there was indeed interest in bringing Fabregas back but when Wenger made subsequent enquiries, he realised that a deal was already completed with Chelsea. Given his age, I guess the £200k per week on offer from Chelsea spoke loudest. Another financial decision ala Nasri, RvP and Adebayor. And I say that as one person on here who would have loved to see him back.

How much due diligence does the FA do when it is about to appoint an England manager? It sounds high minded now about upholding the highest standards, blah, blah, blah, but what background checks did it run on Fat Sam, given the Tevez and Maraschino deals when he was at West Ham that led to third-party ownership of players being banned?